Device for extracting fumes from liquid fuel storage containers



Jan. 16, 1962 R. J. BRANDT 3,016,928

DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING FUMES FROM LIQUID FUEL STORAGE CONTAINERS FiledJan. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

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Jan. 16, 1962 Filed Jan. 19, 1959 R. J. BRANDT DEVICE FOR EXTRACTINGFUMES FROM LIQUID FUEL STORAGE CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 jser rimBea/v07 United States Patent 3,016,928 DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING FUMES FROMLIQUID FUEL STORAGE CONTAINERS Robert Jay Brandt, Los Angeles, Calif.(2953 Clilf Drive, Newport Beach, Calif.) Filed Jan. 19, 1959, Ser. No.787,523 8 Claims. (Cl. 141-45) This invention relates generally to adevice for extracting gases and fumes from one liquid storage containerand depositing them into another container. More specifically, theinvention relates to a device inserted into a hose line used to pumpliquids from one tank or container to another and is designed towithdraw simultaneously fumes from the container into which the liquidis being pumped and deposit them in the container from which it is beingpumped.

Heretofore, when, for example, gasoline was being pumped from a bulkstorage tank into a tank truck, or from a tank truck into an undergroundstorage tank at a gasoline service station, or from the service stationstank into an automobile gasoline tank, no attempt was made to arrest thehydrocarbons in the tank being filled which were given off in the formof fumes as the storage tank was filled with fuel which replaced thehydrocarbon gases. These hydrocarbon fumes were merely exhausted intothe atmosphere by the pressure of the liquid fuel filling the tank. Inview of the fact that this process was repeated at every refinery, atevery farm and bulk storage plant, and at every gasoline servicestation, a great deal of hydrocarbon pollutants were allowed freely tofill the atmosphere, such fumes being noxious and often injurious tohealth.

It is therefore one of the objects of the invention to provide a devicewhich will automatically withdraw the gases and fumes from a tank beingfilled and direct them into a tank being emptied, and thus prevent orlimit the release of said gases and fumes into the atmosphere.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which can be quickly and easily installed in present fuelgravity flow or pump lines.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a device whichwill be operated by the pressure of flow of the liquid fuel in thesyphon or pumping system and will require no outside source of power.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which maybe fully installed without the necessity of enlarging present tankopenings or of providing additional openings in tanks.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which is simple in construction, relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and easy to install and replace.

How the above and other objects of the invention are achieved will bemore readily understood by reference to the following description and tothe annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating the various steps involvedin pumping fuel from a bulk storage tank to a tank truck; from a tanktruck to an underground storage tank; and from an underground storagetank to a consumers automobile.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross section of the float device in the tanktruck shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the impellerdevice shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of the gasoline pump hose nozzle shown inFIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated therein various stages ofliquid fuel transportation and delivery at which the device may bepositioned, and it will be seen that it may be coupled into a hose linefrom a bulk tank to a fuel tank truck into the line from the truck to afuel service station storage tank, and into the line from the fuelservice station tank to a vehicle to be supplied with fuel, suchexamples being given by way of illustration and not by way oflimitation.

A coupling 10 is mounted on a liquid fuel supply hose or pipe line 11,intermediate the ends thereof. Said fuel line 11 in turn is mounted inand projects from a liquid fuel bulk storage tank 12. As shown in FIGURE1, said fuel line 11 may be arranged in the form of a syphon, or may beotherwise arranged with liquid fuel pump means, not shown. Fuel line 11is disposed so as to permit the passage of liquid fuel from said bulkstorage tank 12 to another tank or container, such as the fuel tanktruck 13, and said fuel line 11 enters the tank 13 through a suitable,relatively snug opening 13'.

Coupling 10 is comprised of a solid cylindrical casing 20 of hard rubberor other suitable material, drilled horizontally to form two parallelcylindrical open-ended passageways 21 and 22, respectively.

Mounted in said casing 20, at approximately the center thereof,intermediate said passageways 21 and 22, and projecting into saidpassageways 21 and 22, is a gear box 26, securedly mounted in the casing20 by suitable means, such as brace bars 27 and 28.

A shaft 29 projects outwardly from said gear box 26, and extends intopassageway 22. An impeller 31 is mounted at the free end of said shaft29, and is disposed in said passageway 22 transversely thereof. Saidimpeller 31 has protruding fins 32 positioned thereon and disposed sothat liquid fuel passing through passageway 22 will act on the fins 32,causing impeller 31 to turn, and in turn causing shaft 29 to revolve.

A second gear box 33 is mounted on gear box 26 at the end thereofopposite the shaft 29 and is disposed in passageway 21. A second shaft34 projects from the gear box 26 into the second gear box 33.

A gear train 35 or similar drive means is disposed in the gear box 26,and arranged so that the revolving motion imparted to the shaft 29 bythe impeller 31 will impart a revolving motion to the second shaft 34.

Mounted at right angles to the second shaft 34 is a third shaft 36,connected by gear train 37 or similar drive means to the second shaft34. Said third shaft 36 projects outwardly from the second gear box 33in a line parallel with the center longitudinal axis line of passageway21. Rigidly mounted on the free end of said third shaft 36 is a sectionpropeller 38, having blades 39 disposed in said passageway 21 in amanner to permit propeller 38 to turn freely therein.

The coupling 10 has at the ends thereof outwardly directed flanges 4tand 41, designed to mate with outwardly directed flanges 42 and 43,respectively, mounted on the fuel line 11. Illustrated in FIGURE 4 is amethod of mating and coupling said flanges, consisting of bayonetprojections 44 and 45, bayonet receiving slots 46 and 47, a series ofstuds 48, and a series of matching recesses 49. However, it will beunderstood that any other suitable means of fastening coupling 10 tofuel line 11 intermediate the ends thereof, such as standard matchingthreaded male and female coupling parts, may be provided.

Joined to passageway 21 at both open ends thereof, by any suitablemeans, and of approximately the same inside diameter as passageway 21,is an air hose line 50, which is disposed within the fuel line 11, andwhich has a substantially lesser outside diameter than the insidediameter of said fuel line 11. At its lower end, said air line 50extends slightly beyond the end 11' of fuel line 11. At its upper end,said air line 50 pierces the outer surface of fuel line 11 insid thebulk storage tank 12 at a suitable opening 51, in which it is tightlydisposed. A preferred procedure is to provide an upward bend 52 in saidair line 50 externally of said fuel line 11 and toward the end of saidair line so that the upper end 53 thereof is disposed in the bulkstorage tank 12 at a position close to the top thereof and upwardlydirected.

Mounted in the fuel tank truck 13 and projecting therefrom, is a fuelsupply line 6%. Said fuel supply line 68 may be arranged in the form ofa Syphon, or may be equipped With pump means, not shown. It may also beequipped with a valve '61, or other suitable means for controlling theflow of liquid fuel in said fuel supply line 20. Said fuel supply line60 is arranged for insertion into a supply pipe 62, which gives accessfrom ground level 63 to an underground storage tank 64. Suitable capmeans 65 is arranged on the supply pipe 62 at ground level 63 and thefuel supply line 60 is inserted in an opening 66 in said cap 65 and issnugly disposed therein.

A second coupling is mounted on the fuel supply line 60 intermediat theends thereof; and joined to passageway 21 of said coupling 10 at bothends thereof is another air hose line 50, disposed Within the fuelsupply line 60 and having a substantially lesser outside diameter thanthe inside diameter of said fuel supply line 60. Said hose line 60extends beyond the lower extremity of said fuel supply line '60 and maybe bent in a right angle turn, as at 67, a short distance below itsprojection from said fuel supply line 60.

The upper end of said air line 50 pierces the outer surface of fuelsupply line 60 inside the tank 13, at a suitable opening 68, in which itis tightly disposed. It may be flexible and equipped with a float '70,

A preferred form of construction of float 70 is to provide a block ofmaterial of light displacement 71, mounted on a hollow tube 72, theoutside diameter 73 of which is only slightly less than the insidediameter of said hoseline 50 into which it is inserted. Said tube 72 maybe provided with outwardly extending flanges or collars 74, arranged toseat the float on the tube 72. A flutter valve 75 may be mounted at theupper end of the tube 72 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3.

A feedline 80 to a gas service station pump 81 is disposed in thunderground storage tank 64; and intermediate the ends thereof and at apoint near the upper end of underground storage tank 64 is an opening 82in which a third flexible hoseline 50 is tightly disposed. Said air line50 may be provided with an upward bend 83.

A third coupling 10 is disposed on the flexible fuel supply hose 90intermediate the ends thereof, and is, of course, connected in the pump81 to the feed line 80. The flexible air line 50 is disposed in saidfeed line 80 and said flexible fuel supply hose 90. It has asubstantially lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of saidsupply line 80 and said flexible fuel supply hose 90, and projects, atits upper end, a relatively short distance beyond the outside extremityof said flexible fuel supply hose 90. Said air line 50 is, of course,connected to both ends of the passageway 21 in said third coupling 10.

An automobile 100 has the usual fuel tank, not shown, and is equippedwith a pipeline 101, giving access thereto. The flexible fuel supplyhose 90 is equipped with a suction cup-shaped gasket 102, designed tofit snugly on the outside surface of the automobile 100, at the head 103of said pipeline 101 when the flexible fuel supply hose 90 is insertedtherein.

In operation, liquid fuel is syphoned or pumped from bulk storage tank12 through the upper part of pipeline 11, then through passageway 22 incoupling 10, and then through the lower part of pipeline 11 until itflows into fuel tank truck 13. In going through passageway 22, the flowof liquid fuel in said passageway acts on the fins 32 of the impeller31, causing impeller 31 to turn the shaft 29. The gear chain 35 thusturns the shaft 34, causing the gear chain 37 to turn the shaft 36, inturn causing the suction propeller 38 to revolve in passageway 21. Byreason of the fact that the gear chain 37 is smaller than gear chain 35,the suction propeller 38 will revolve at a speed somewhat greater thanthe rate of turn of the impeller 31.

The revolving suction propeller 38 will cause the gases and fumes intank truck 13 to enter the flexible air line 50 and be expelled throughthe opening 53 into the upper part of bulk storage tank 12, so that, asliquid fuel runs or is pumped from bulk storage tank 12 into fuel tanktruck 13, the level of the fuel will decrease in bulk storage tank 12and increase in fuel tank truck 13, while at the same time the gases andfumes in fuel tank truck 13 will be drawn out of fuel tank truck 13 andforced into bulk storage tank 12 in the space provided by the reductionin the level of the liquid fuel therein.

The relative operation between fuel tank truck 13 and undergroundstorage tank 64 is similar to that between bulk storage tank 12 and fueltank truck 13, and so is the relative operation between the fuel tank inthe automobile and the underground storage tank 64.

The float 70 being mounted on the flexible hoseline 5G and disposed infuel tank truck 13, will float on the surface of the liquid fuel in saidfuel tank truck 13, so that the open end of said flexible air line 50will have continual access to the area of the fuel tank truck 13 abovethe level of the liquid fuel therein. The flutter valve 75 acts in theusual manner of such valves to open to allow the free passage of gasesand fumes from the end of hoseline 50, but to close to prevent liquidfuel from entering air line '50 in the event float 70 becomes submerged.

The use of upward bend 83 in the third flexible air line 50 isrecommended to permit the free flow of gases and fumes into the upperpart of underground storage tank 64, while at the same time preventingthe passage of liquid fuel into said third flexible air line 50.

The cup-shaped gasket 102, when fitted snugly on the outside surface ofautomobile 100, prevents the free escape of gases and fumes from theautomobile gas tank into the atmosphere.

While the invention has been shown and described herein in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosedherein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims and so as toembrace any and all equivalent apparatus.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and isdesired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for extracting fumes from liquid fuel containers comprisinga storage container and a receiving container, a fuel supply line fromsaid storage container to said receiving container, an air line ofsubstantially less diameter disposed in said fuel supply line,protruding therefrom at both ends thereof, having one end thereofdisposed in the air space in the receiving container and the other endthereof disposed in the air space in the storage container, a floatmounted on the end of the air line disposed in the air space in thestorage container, an impeller mounted in said fuel supply line, and asuction fan mounted in said air line and connected by gear chain to saidimpeller whereby, when liquid passes through said fuel supply linetoward said container, the impeller revolves, in turn causing thesuction fan to draw fumes through said air line from the receivingcontainer and into the storage container.

2. A device for extracting fumes from liquid fuel containers comprisinga storage container and a receiving container, a fuel supply line fromsaid storage container to said receiving container, an air line ofsubstantially less diameter disposed in said fuel supply line,protruding therefrom at both ends thereof, having one end thereofdisposed in the air space in the receiving container and the other endthereof disposed in the air space in the storage container, a floatmounted on the end of the air line disposed in the air space in thestorage container, at flutter valve mounted on said float and adapted topermit the free passage of fumes from said air line but prevent theentrance of fluids into said air line, an impeller mounted in said fuelsupply line, and a suction fan mounted in said air line and connected bygear chain to said impeller whereby, when liquid passes through saidfuel supply line toward said container, the impeller revolves, in turncausing the suction fan to draw fumes through said air line from thereceiving container and into the storage container.

3. A device for extracting fumes from liquid fuel containers comprisinga storage container and a receiving container, a fuel supply line fromsaid storage container to said receiving container, an air line disposedin said fuel supply line protruding therefrom at both ends thereof andhaving its ends disposed in the air space in each containerrespectively, an impeller mounted in said fuel supply line and rotatablein a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of said fuel supply line,a suction fan mounted in said air line and rotatable in a planetransverse to the longitudinal axis of said air line, drive means havingan input shaft and an output shaft, said input and output shafts havingsaid impeller and said suction fan respectively rotatably mountedthereon, whereby when liquid passes through said fuel supply line fromsaid storage container to said receiving container said impeller turnsthe suction fan and causes it to draw fumes through said air line fromsaid receiving container into said storage container, and said drivemeans having a speed ratio of output shaft to input shaft greater thanone.

4. A device for simultaneously extracting fumes from a container whilepassing liquid into said container comprising a container, a fuel supplyline to said container, an air line from said container, an impellerrotatably mounted in said fuel supply line, a suction fan rotatablymounted in said air line, drive means having an input shaft and anoutput shaft, said input and output shafts having said impeller and saidsuction fan respectively mounted thereon, whereby when liquid passesthrough said fuel supply line toward said container, the impeller turnsthe suction fan and causes it to draw fumes through said air line fromsaid container, and said drive means having a speed ratio of outputshaft to input shaft greater than one.

5. A detachable coupling for extracting fumes from a liquid fuelcontainer, wherein said container is fitted with a fuel supply line andan air line of substantially less diameter than said fuel line disposedwithin said fuel supply line, said fuel supply and air lines beinginterrupted and adapted to receive said coupling between saidinterruption, said coupling comprising an outer tube having a diametergenerally equal to the diameter of said fuel supply line, locking meansmounted on the respective ends of said tube adapted to engage reciprocallocking means positioned on said interrupted ends of said fuel line andinterfit said tube between said interruption of said fuel supply line,an inner tube disposed within said outer tube having a diametergenerally equal to the diameter of said air line and adapted to bealigned with and joined with said air line, an impeller mounted in saidouter tube and rotatable in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axisof said outer tube and adapted to be rotatzd by liquid passing throughsaid fuel line and said outer tube, a suction fan mounted in. said innertube and rotatable in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis ofsaid inner tube adapted to draw fumes through said inner tube and saidair line from said container, drive means mounted within said outer tubehaving an input shaft and output shaft, said input and output shaftshaving said impeller and said suction fan respectively rotatably mountedthereon whereby rotation of said impeller will cause said suction fan torotate, and said drive means having a speed ratio of output shaft toinput shaft greater than one.

6. The combination of: a container for receiving liquid, a fuel supplyline to said container, an air line disposed in said fuel line, a fumeextracting coupling mounted in said fuel supply line, said couplinghaving an outer tube and an inner tube disposed within said outer tube,said tubes being aligned and joined with said respective fuel line andair line, an impeller rotatably mounted in said outer tube, a suctionfan rotatably mounted in said inner tube, drive means having an inputshaft and an output shaft, said input and output shafts having saidimpeller and said suction fan respectively mounted thereon, whereby whenliquid passes through said fuel line and said outer tube toward saidcontainer, the impeller turns imparting rotation to said fan throughsaid drive means so that fumes in said container may be drawn from saidcontainer through said air line and said inner tube, and said drivemeans having a speed ratio of output shaft to input shaft greater thanone.

7. A device for extracting and confining fumes from a vehicle fuel tankwhile simultaneously loading it with liquid fuel comprising a vehiclefuel tank, a pipe leading from said tank to the outside surface of saidvehicle, a storage container, a fuel line from said container having anend adapted to fit within said pipe adjacent said outside surface ofsaid vehicle, an air line disposed in said fuel supply line, an impellerrotatably mounted in said fuel line, a suction fan rotatably mounted insaid air line, drive means having an input shaft and an output shaft,said input and output shafts having said impeller and said suction fanrespectively mounted thereon, so that when fuel is passed from said fuelline into said pipe and container the impeller will rotate in turnactivating the fan through said drive means which will draw fuel fumesthrough said pipe and air line from said tank into said container, saiddrive means having a speed ratio of output shaft to input shaft greaterthan one, and sealing means on said fuel line adjacent the end adaptedto fit within said pipe so as to prevent the escape of fuel fumes to theatmosphere.

8. A device for extracting and confining fumes as defined in claim 7wherein the sealing means comprises an elastic dished flange surroundingsaid fuel line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS837,627 Honegger Dec. 4, 1906 1,041,634 King Oct. 15, 1912 1,087,228Ferguson Feb. 17, 1914 1,484,934 Dalrymple Feb. 26, 1924 2,653,747 MaidaSept. 29, 1953

